F-22 Raptor fighter jet makes its combat debut in Syria (2023)

FAQs

When did the F-22 first see combat? ›

The US Department of Defense announced the decision to end F-22 production at 187 aircraft in April 2009. The Air Force received the last F-22 in 2012. In September 2014, the F-22 Raptor made its combat debut in coordinated strikes with other fighter jets and bombers against Islamic State (ISIS) strongholds in Syria.

To support NATO's “air shielding” operations and to increase deterrence against potential Russian threats, the US Air Force is deploying its top-of-the-line F-22 Raptors to Lask, Poland.

That meant that, after you remove the jets dedicated to training and test, more than 400 operational F-15s that were ready to fight the Soviet Union at any given time. Today, the Air Force has 186 F-22As, but subtracting out those used for training or for testing new systems leaves just operational 142 fighters.

So why did the US stop making the F-22? The US Air Force makes a lot of critical and important decisions about the future configuration of the US aircraft fleet. Such a decision was the ultimate cause of the F-22 Raptor production.

The F-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft. A combination of sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational awareness, and weapons provides first-kill opportunity against threats.

The F-22 entered service at a time when the U.S. military was fighting a two-front war with seemingly no end, against an irregular enemy in Afghanistan and Iraq.

According to an interesting post appeared on Quora, only the U.S. government paid for the entire budget for the construction of the F-22 Raptor and since no other country at the time was willing to help pinch in to pay the tremendous amount of the final bill, they didn't export it.

There it racked up an impressive tally of 29 air-to-air kills with no losses, against state-of-the-art MiG-29s and other capable fighters.

In 16 years the service has lost four F-22s. If that accident-rate holds, the Air Force might lose an additional 10 F-22s to non-combat accidents before the type's out-of-service date in 2060 or so. In short, the Air Force has enough F-22s to keep its existing squadrons in business. But only barely.

The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. As the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world, the F-35 gives pilots the critical advantage against any adversary, enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.

What is America's best fighter jet? ›

The F-35 Lightning II is considered the most modern fighter jet in the world. The jet, made by US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, is considered more than just a fighter aircraft.

The F-22 Raptor is the most powerful air superiority fighter in the world, while the F-35 is probably the most advanced multirole fighter right now.

However, despite all of its advanced specifications, the F-22 Raptor once got shot down by a fourth-gen fighter jet – Dassault's Rafale.

The F-22's design and avionics are increasingly dated. The cost of modernizing it for the decades to come would be untenable (and still wouldn't solve all of its problems). The F-22 will be replaced by a new fighter being developed in the Next Generation Air Dominance Program.

The U.S. Air Force and the arm of government that funds it are at loggerheads over the future of the F-22 Raptor. The Air Force wants to retire the jets to make room in the budget for its replacement, the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter.

1. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. This comes as no surprise. Ever since entering production in 2006, the F-35 has embodied the latest in combat aircraft development.

The United States of America maintains the strongest Air Force in the world by an impressive margin. As of late 2021, the United States Air Force (USAF) is composed of 5217 active aircraft, making it the largest, the most technologically advanced, and the most powerful air fleet in the world.

The F-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft. Nevertheless, despite its incredible capabilities, the F-22 could never do an emergency landing aboard an aircraft carrier.